Looking ahead to 2012-13, can Los Angeles Kings star center Anze Kopitar, shown here during the team’s
Stanley Cup Championship Rally on June 14, 2012, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, avoid the prolonged
slumps that have plagued him throughout his career?
(click to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

LOS ANGELES — Although it certainly ended with a huge bang, the 2011-12 season was one of struggle for the Los Angeles Kings, given the fact that they qualified for the playoffs by the skins of their teeth.

2011-12 YEAR-IN-REVIEW: The Los Angeles Kings won the 2012 Stanley Cup. What is there to review or evaluate? Plenty. To start things off, here’s a look at how a “front office turnaround” set their run to the Stanley Cup in motion.

Given that they reached the pinnacle of achievement this season, what is there to review or evaluate?

Although some might think that is a waste of time, no Stanley Cup Championship team can rest on its laurels during the off-season and expect the same level of success. As players, coaches and general managers often say, improvement is always needed, and the Kings are no exception to that axiom.

DRAFT COVERAGE: Even though they had the last pick in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Los Angeles Kings added six prospects to the fold this weekend. Also: news on veteran player signings, and an upcoming change to the coaching staff.

After winning the 2012 Stanley Cup, the Kings earned the “privilege” of selecting last in first round of the draft. In spite of that disadvantage, they managed to add six prospects to their system, and they reached agreements in principle with two of their veteran forwards who would become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Center Jarret Stoll will sign a three-year contract extension that will pay him an average of $3.25 million per season, while center Colin Fraser will sign a two-year deal that will pay him $825,000 per season. Read more of this post

DRAFT COVERAGE: Although the Los Angeles Kings will select last in the first round of the 2012 National Hockey League Entry Draft, they still have to make this draft count for something by finding a player or two who will make it to the NHL to stay a few years down the road. Also, the Kings and the NHL have announced their 2012-12 regular season schedule.

Will they select right wing Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League, the top prospect in this year’s draft? Will they go off the board, so to speak, to shore up their blue line corps, which is their biggest weakness, or will they trade the pick to bring in a seasoned, impact player?

Los Angeles Kings rookie right wing Jordan Nolan (foreground)
has not looked out of place so far in post-season play.
(click to view a larger image).
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Looking back at the Los Angeles Kings’ first round playoff series win over the Vancouver Canucks, the first things that come to mind are the play of right wing Dustin Brown, and goaltender Jonathan Quick.

There was also a series-winning overtime goal scored by center Jarret Stoll, which, by itself, is significant. But that goal has even greater significance when you look below the surface.

“If you look at the series we just finished, if you think about it, you want to handle the three big guys on their team, even though [center] Ryan Kesler didn’t have as a big a year, numbers-wise,” said Kings head coach Darryl Sutter. “Even strength goals—they didn’t score one, the Sedins and [Kesler]. From our side of it, we got five goals from Jarret Stoll, Dustin Penner, Trevor Lewis, and Brad Richardson, so it’s not always about stars. In fact, we just showed that it wasn’t.” Read more of this post

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